Cap



CAP

Filed May 4, 1964 INVENTOR. Daniel Tames ATTORNEY United States Patent Oiitice 3,321,774 Patented May 30, 1967 Drive,

The present invention relates to a cap and more particularly to a cap adapted to absorb forehead perspiration.

Within the hospital operating room, the effects of strong lights, intense concentration and high humidity, as well as other factors, induce a tendency for the personnel to perspirc. When such perspiration accumulates on the forehead of the personnel, particularly on the forehead of the operating surgeon, his assistants and others bending over the patient, it can be troublesome unless care is taken to keep it away from eyes and eyeglasses and from dripping from the forehead. One way in which this has been done is for the nurse to wipe the surgeons forehead, but this causes an interruption that can be annoying and undesirable.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a cap which will eliminate the foregoing problem.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cap which will be simple and economical to manufacture.

Additional features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the cap of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the cap of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectiona1 view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional side elevation vie-w along line 55 in FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawing, the cap comprises a generally elliptical, fiat crown of a size generally to cover the top of a persons head. Attached to the periphery of the crown 10, along a seam 12 having stitching 12a, is a unitary side portion 14 that depends downwardly from the said crown. The side portion 14 is of a size generally to encircle the upper portion of a persons head, including his forehead. The side portion 14 is made of a unitary strip of generally rectangular form with enough shaping to provide a good fit. The ends of the said side portion 14 are hemmed, but are not secured to one another so that a vent 18 is left open between them. In this way, the cap achieves a degree of adjustability permitting the same to be used by personnel having different head sizes.

Closing means, such as a pair of tapes 20, are secured, as by sewing, to the side portion 14 each to one side of and somewhat forward of the vent 18. In use, after the cap is placed on the head of the wearer, the tapes 20 are tied to one another, drawing the free edges of the vent toward one another and holding the cap securely on the wearers head.

An absorbent lining 22 is attached to the inside of the front of the side portion 14. The lining 22 is of generally rectangular shape with one of its long edges secured within the seam 12 by means of the stitching 12a. The lining 22 extends downwardly so that its second long edge reaches the lower edge of the cap. The bottom strip of the side portion is folded up over the lining 22 to form a hem 24. The lining 22 extends laterally in the area of the forehead so that each short edge reaches to a line 26 above and somewhat in front of the area of each ear and is there secured as by stitching 28.

The lining 22 may be of a double-ply absorbent fabric as shown in FIG. 3 or it may be of a single-ply material 30 indicated in FIG. 4. A birdseye cloth is particularly suitable. The crown 10 and side portion 14 may be made of any of the usual materials. For hospital use, of course, both these materials should be capable of being sterilized.

It may be seen, then, that the present invention provides a cap which finds particular usefulness in hospital operating rooms, where forehead perspiration represents a problem. A surgeon, wearing this cap, need not be interrupted by a nurse wiping his forehead in order to prevent perspiration from dripping into his eyes. Other applications where similar conditions prevail are also possible. The perspiration is retained by the absorbent lining of the cap until it is disposed of or cleaned.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

A cap comprising a generally elliptical fiat crown of a size adapted generally to cover the top of a persons head, a side portion having upper and lower edges with the upper edge secured to the periphery of said crown forming a seam, said side portion being a generally rectangular unitary strip having free ends and of a size adapted to encircle the upper portion of a persons head, the free ends of said side portions forming a rearwardly directed vent for size adjustability, closing means to draw the free ends of the vent toward one another and adapted to secure the cap on a persons head, and a generally rectangular absorbent lining having upper and lower edges with the upper edge attached within said seam to the inside of said side portion along the front and sides of the said side portion and adapted to contact the area of the forehead of the wearer, said absorbent lining extending downwardly to the lower edge of the side portion, said side portion having a marginally turned-up edge with the lower edge of said lining secured therein, said absorbent lining having free ends secured generally midway of the side of the cap and being of a size adapted to extend laterally across the forehead of a persons head to a line in front of the area of each ear whereby forehead perspiration may be absorbed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,175,167 3/1916 Moscherrosch 2-195 1,907,709 5/1933 Barrow 2171 2,810,913 10/1957 Kennedy 2195 FOREIGN PATENTS 339,544 6/1904 France.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. G. H. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner. 

